I hear this happens a lot: you get an inquiry to connect to someone who comes across really strongly, you are complimented by this veiled fantasy, as if it is too good to be true.
And it probably is.
Yet you accept the connection. Suddenly they are contacting all your connections, because they can, and that’s their aim, to embarrass you, or to pester the others, and you look terrible.
Caveat connector. Not everyone is on the up-and-up. Or they are not really a person at all, (this is a real road sign), but a fraudulent funster manipulating fake personas, taking advantage of your curiosity and gullibility. Like robocalls…
As I always recommend strongly, don’t connect to anyone you do not know well. If you think it’s worth pursuing, get a phone call started and get to know the person. Ask penetrating questions as a means of authenticating the other party.
Not getting that warm fuzzy feeling? Don’t connect. Cut bait. No one ever said you had to connect.
Another reason not to be a promiscuous linker. You could get a bad reputation or a disease….
And here’s what LinkedIn is doing to fight this on our behalves: https://blog.linkedin.com/2019/august/20/an-update-on-how-were-fighting-fake-accounts
